CHAPTER II
THEORITICAL REVIEW
2.1. Secretary
The secretary is someone who assists a leader or leader’s company board, especially for the
administration of activities to support their managerial leaders or activity operating the company.
Secretary itself has a wider sense in accordance with a definition and its function .The following
is the definition of secretary according to the experts.
2.1.1. Definition of Secretary
The secretary is the company employees who had deal with the rules of company
secrets who can hold a secret in carrying out the work to help the company leaders. (Drs.
Ignatius Wursanto, 2006:1).
According to Diane Daniels and Ann. Barron (1995: 155), the secretary is someone who is
able to arrange details and the sustainability of a company with regard to objectives and
targets to be achieved.
M. Braum and Ramon C .Portugal (1994) mentioned that the secretary was an accomplice,
check and remind about any appointment leaders have been made, and help other duties in
order to increase the effectiveness of leaders.
Louis C. Nahassy dan William Selden (1997) said that secretary is an office employee who
has a more responsible position than a stenographer and whose duties usually include
meeting callers, and making appointment; and maintaining or filing records, letters, etc. A
secretary frequently acts as an administrative assistant or junior executive.
Ursula Ernawati (2004), a secretary is a professional as a professional you may want to
perform the many and varied responsibilities of secretarial work with competence,
confidence, and style.
A secretary is a person who holds or keeps secrets as well as gets credence from his or
her superior to handle office tasks or fairs. In its development, a wider definition for
secretary will be stated by M. Braum and Ramon, as cited by Tony Waworunty, “a person
who assists his or her superior in dictating, preparing letters, reminding his or her superior
about meeting or appointments, and performing other duties related to increase his or her
superior’s effectiveness.” (1988:58)
Based on above definition, it can be concluded that a secretary is an official employee
who has duties in assisting his or her superior in holding secrets and handling office affairs
as well as managing routine jobs in the office.
In Yayasan Kampung Percik, a role of a secretary is highly important considering that the
director of the foundation often has traveling duties to other cities so that the secretary has
to take over his duties and responsibilities. It can be ranged from making schedules,
arranging official travels for the director, and more importantly scheduling his personal
schedule so he still can perform his duties and responsibilities well to achive the
successfulness of the foundation.
In terms of broad scope of labor secretary divided into two (2), namely:
1. Organization Secretary
Secretary of the organization is someone who was in charge and having responsibility
as the leader on the decision has been made by the council organization leaders
(Prajudi Atmosudirdja, 1982). Capability of being professional secretary should be
owned by organizational secretary among others planned work, draw up the structure
and the procedures for the organization, and lead the secretariat well.
2. Secretary of the Leader
Leader secretary often called also with private secretary. A secretary leader is
someone who delegates tasks without managerial leaders (Drs. Ignatius Wursanto,
2006). Capability of being professional secretary should be owned by leaders
arrangement secretary among others schedule a meeting, correspondence, chancery,
and received the phone call.
2.1.3 Function and Role of Secretary
The function of the secretary is helping leaders to run the company to achieve the
objectives and targets that has been set and under certain circumstances can replace role
in running the company (Drs.Ignatius wursanto, 2006)
A secretary has an important role in the company, namely:
Secretary almost always acts as a bridge between company leader and employees
of another so that they are required having the ability of good communication
skill to keep the harmony in the sphere of work (Lucy mae jennings, 1978)
As imaging company
In performing its duties, a secretary definitely relating to other parties outside the
company and would be seen as the image of a corporation owned service
(Drs.Ignatius wursanto, 2006).
2.1.4 Requirements of Secretary
Drs Ignatius Wursanto (2006) Basic requirements that should be owned as secretaries are:
The ability to communicate well
The ability to manage the schedule and time management
Control of correspondence
Control of the field of administration
2.1.5 The Role of English by Secretary
Skills of secretary should be mature in terms of both of making a letter, creating
an archive, received a call, dictate and forth. In addition the secretary also has to be
skillful in English, because the English language is an international language that we used
to communicate with foreign company globally. As we know Kampung Percik
Foundation has donors not only coming from outside Salatiga but from another country
also like Korea, Japan and United Stated, so English is important to control our
A secretary who can speak good English will facilitate himself or herself to
operate any device of supporting office works, such as computer, photocopy machine,
make a letter and so forth. Such as the secretary must be able to take computer and
English as the major, because computer software are all in English. To face competition
in this globalization era, a secretary must have the quality and competence that can
support the professional career as secretary. It is expected that a secretary could master
English skill well and correctly to support his carrier on global world.
2.2. Description of Secretary
According to Drs. The Liang Gie secretary is an officer whose organizing bussines
correspondence affairs including prepare for a leader or an organization (Drs. Saiman,
M.Si, 2002)
On book “Menjadi Seorang Sekretaris Profesional Hartiti Hendarto and Tulusharyono
wrote down the secretary tasks, it can be grouped into 2 (two), namely:
2.2.1. According to Authority of Secretary
a. Routine Tasks
Namely tasks performed daily without instructions. This includes:
- Typing letter, report, proposal
- Receiving Guest
- correspondence
- Managing Incoming Letter
- Filling
b. Instruction Task
It is a direct task instructed by the office leader to a secretary with special
completions. These tasks are given due to trust that a secretary is able to keep
organizational secrets. These tasks are including:
- Arrange Schedule Trip
- Financial Managing
- Preparing and Organizing The Meeting
.
c. Creatif Task
Tasks related to leader needs, such as:
- Making Telephone Form
- Cutting Out The Article or Advertisment The Newspaper
- Sending Invitation Card to Relation
- Changing of Office Space
2.2.2. According Working Type
a. Administration Task
- Handling Letter
- Typing Report
- Filling
b. Receptionist Task
Tasks of a secretary as a receptionist are:
- Receiving Phonecalls
- Receiving Guest
- Arrange Leaders Schedule
c. Financial Task
A secretary usually manages financial matter called petty cash. These financial tasks
are, among others.
- Handling The Leader Financial
- Handle a Petty Cash
All secretaries maybe did handling financial matters but the writer didn’t asking about
activity saving money in a Bank, drawing ceques and etc and the writer didn’t get any
information about financial task.
- Preparing Meeting
- Handling Presentation and Speech
- Preparing Office Travel Leader
As a secretary Ambar usually managing office affairs and managing reception for
office leader and other invitation because when the writer did an observation there she’s
managing the task like preparing office stuff and stasionary.
According to many experts’ opinions about the jobs of secretary are as follow:
a. John H. Donald
Stated that some matters related to position and organizational situation will
determine most of the jobs of a secretary. Those matters are:
1. Transcribe or filling transcription from stenography or letters for dictation
machinee.
2. Making notes about meetings, arranging and maintaining special archives.
3. Completing any problems from superior’s personal problems, etc.
b. M. Braum and Ramon C. from Portugal
Tasks and responsibilities of a secretary are not exactly the same but can be
categorized as follow:
1. Planning the works.
2. Welcoming guests
3. Managing incoming and out letters.
